All People Matter

I saw this picture of Sojourner Truth a while back with a caption below that reads—“I sell the shadow to support the substance.”

Sometimes hard facts are best and are what you need.

But so often, when you are trying to convince someone of something, or trying to understand something yourself, it is the essence of the facts, or the essence of the larger point, that you are looking for.

I’ve found that people easily able to grasp the essence of the matter at hand, or the “shadow” as Sojourner Truth says here, are often the more flexible and humane people I meet.

Rigidity and needing every fact can be toxic to understanding the world around you and in getting along with others.

Being open and flexible, and being able to grasp the issue at hand from the facts that are available is a gift.